GOP chairman weighs in on Clinton visit

“Recent polls show Hillary Clinton losing to the Republican frontrunners in Ohio, so she must really feel the need to be here. And it doesn’t matter what she says tonight, it will be a different story to the next audience. Hillary Clinton is a calculating politician who will move anywhere and say anything, in the local accent if you want, to gain more power. But she can never escape her liberal activist agenda. That’s why she’ll continue to be on the losing end in Ohio. She just doesn’t fit with our common sense Midwestern values.”

'Are you ready to end the war in Iraq?'

"Are you ready to end the war in Iraq and restore America's reputation around the world?" Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton proclaimed to rousing cheers tonight at the Celeste Center on the Ohio State Fairgrounds. "End this war in Iraq and bring our troops home."

Clinton said the current administration is government "of the few, by the few and for the few."

"If you're ready, I'm ready to take our country back again,'' Clinton said.

"I want to be a president that sets goals again,'' Clinton said. "I want us to believe in ourselves. . . We can set goals, because it's time for us to reassert those fundamental American values of strength and hope."

"We've got to get back to believing that everybody matters,'' she said.

Earlier, Clinton thanked the audience for last year's victories and for "leading the country back on the right track in '08."

Ken Blackwell is never forgotten

Reflecting on their statewide victories in 2006, Ohio Democrats mentioned the defeat of former Secretary of State Ken Blackwell. The Cincinnati Republican was booed when Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern mentioned his name.

“I wonder where he is tonight, don’t you?’’ Redfern told his dinner audience.

Later, Redfern named U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown and Gov. Ted Strickland the state's Democrats of the Year.

"This is not on my script," Redfern said while introducing Strickland. "Friends, he would make an extraordinary vice president."

Strickland, in turn, thanked Sen. Clinton for helping raise about $500,000 for his winning gubernatorial campaign over Blackwell.

Friday, May 11, 2007

White House balks at bill with Banks $$

Remember the Water Resources Development Act? The one with a $25 million authorization for the downtown Cincinnati riverfront park to go with the Banks development? The one that Rep. Jean Schmidt, R-Miami Township, voted for while Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Westwood, and Leader John Boehner, R-West Chester, didn't?

A statement put out Friday by the White House budget office says the bill would have a "significant overall cost," to the tune of at least $15 billion.

"Although many of the projects authorized by the bill have undergone a merit-based review, there are many others that have not, and therefore may be wasteful spending," the statement said.

It continues: "In a time when fiscal restraint is much needed, the additional spending authorized in this bill, such as provisions for local wastewater and drinking water infrastructure projects, is unacceptable."

The White House budget office – yes, that would be the same office headed by Terrace Park's own Rob Portman – said in its statement that it "strongly opposes" the bill.

So put Portman down next to Chabot and Boehner for opposing the bill with the Banks money.

Sales tax increase coming no matter what?

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Voinovich: Down with the tax code!

This is interesting: Sen. George Voinovich announced today that he's decided to co-sponsor the Tax Code Termination Act – legislation that would REPEAL the U.S. Tax Code by 2010!

The goal of the bill is to essentially force Congress to reauthorize the current tax code or replace it with a new system.

“Washington has become too accustomed to its current culture – a culture that’s destroying our competitiveness in the global marketplace,” said Voinovich, a Cleveland Republican. “Drastic measures are needed if we want to create better jobs and a higher quality of life for our kids and grandkids.”

Drastic indeed!

The Tax Code Termination Act, which comes from Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., would create a bipartisan commission that would be required to examine and to recommend to Congress plausible replacements for the tax code.

“Congress needs a serious overhaul of its tax code if we’re going to get this country back on the right track,” Voinovich said. “While it won’t be easy to pass this legislation, it will at least help us bring attention to this problem, and force this Congress and administration to deal with these looming issues instead of passing the buck to future generations.”

Bye, Elliot!

They've been friends since their days at St. Xavier High School. But for seven years, Elliot Ruther has worked for John Cranley in one capacity or another - at City Hall, on campaigns, as kind of a lobbyist for and explainer of the local music scene.

But Ruther's got a new job, in development at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College. He'll be helping raise money again, just for something different than a political campaign.

Cranley announced the departure - Friday's Ruther's last day - and said, "It's with a deep and sad heart that I let him go."

He credited Ruther with being a key person on a lot of things related to music in Cincinnati, including the MidPoint Music Festival.

Ruther'd been looking around for a new challenge since after Cranley's run against Steve Chabot last fall. He's still planning to work on some way to memorialize Cincinnati's music history.

Resolutions by Cole and Thomas

It seemed like an odd thing for a city councilman to hesitate on, a resolution in support of the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health relocating in Bond Hill as opposed to in Clermont County.

But when Laketa Cole's resolution to do just that came up for a vote Wednesday, Cecil Thomas paused. Then, holding the resolution in his hand, he paused a little longer and smiled. Then he voted yes, as the rest of the nine did.

Thomas explained later that he was a little annoyed that Cole wanted her resolution to slide right through, while two weeks earlier his resolution in support of his unity statement had to be sent to a committee because Cole and others had questions. It ultimately passed unanimously Wednesday also, but not without Thomas trying to make his point.

Wednesday, May 09, 2007

Heimlich vs. Schmidt!

Here's the reaction from the National Republican Congressional Committee, courtesy of Malia Rulon

NRCC spokeswoman Julie Shutley said the party won't be getting involved in primary elections, even though Schmidt is an incumbent lawmaker.

"Ohio's second congressional district is a Republican seat and we have every confidence that it will continue to be in the red column after the next election cycle," Shutley said.

And here's what he e-mailed to supporters:

Dear Friends,

This week, after much thought and prayer, I have taken the first steps toward launching a campaign for Ohio's 2nd District Congressional seat by filing the necessary paperwork with the Federal Elections Commission.

I am pleased to tell you that we begin this quest with nearly $120,000 on hand, thanks to the generous help of loyal supporters. Even in the first few weeks of discussing this campaign, the encouragement I've received has been gratifying and humbling.I look forward to sharing my plans with grassroots activists and party leaders across the district in the coming months, and listening to your feedback and ideas.

As the parents of two young children, Rebecca and I are concerned about the future of our nation and our world. The GOP must recommit itself to being the party of good stewardship with regard to your tax dollars. Our party is yearning for a return to the principles established by Abraham Lincoln, the leadership and dignity demonstrated by Ronald Reagan, and the common sense conservative values shared by all Republicans.

The honest and hardworking families of Hamilton, Warren, Clermont, Brown, Adams, Pike and Scioto counties deserve to be represented with dignity and respect. That's the message I'll be taking across the 2nd District.

Thank you for your support over the years, and for your friendship and counsel. Please keep me in your prayers as I travel the district to speak with as many of you as possible. Please do not hesitate to contact me at any time. I look forward to seeing you soon.

Blue chippers: Call Monzel!

An e-mail this afternoon to members of the Blue Chip Young Republicans Club urged calls to Chris Monzel to urge him not to vote in favor of Vice Mayor Jim Tarbell's $3.8 million arts funding plan. It would give $800,000 to the Cincinnati Arts Museum, Cincinnati History Museum, Music Hall and the Underground Railroad Freedom Center. It also would create a $600,000 fund for smaller arts groups, part of which would also pay for parades and events like Riverfest and the Black Family Reunion.

Here's the text (sic) of the e-mail, sent at 12:19 p.m.:

"an article on the enquirer website states our CONSERVATIVE republican city counselman CHRIS MONZEL is planning to vote with liberals john cranley, david crowley, cecil thomas and vice mayor jim tarbell, to create a $600,000.00 slush fund of tax payer money for artists! this vote is not a fiscally responsible. please call monzel immediately and ask him not to waste our tax money!

Charter's Kaup Starts Her Run

Joan Kaup, one of three council candidates endorsed by the Charter Party, holds her campaign kickoff Tuesday.

She's the one who used to be tourism and conventions executive for the Greater Cincinnati Convention and Visitors Bureau and worked for Downtown Cincinnati Inc. and the Ensemble Theatre. She also has volunteered with the Over-the-Rhine Chamber of Commerce, Big Pig Gig and with Project Lily Pad, which is trying to build more wireless hot spots throughout the city.

Cranley: I Don't Regret It

In January at a finance committee meeting during a discussion about money, John Cranley uttered the words: "...we're going to keep our word today, tomorrow, the day after tomorrow and forever."

That half sentence was oft repeated at Monday's meeting of the same body, particularly by Laketa Cole, who used it to blast those she accused of changing their minds on a plan to divide $4 million evenly between the Cincinnati Art Museum, Music Hall, Underground Railroad Freedom Center and Cincinnati History Museum. When Chris Bortz put forth a resolution last month to spread the money that way, five others signed it with him, including Vice Mayor Jim Tarbell and Cecil Thomas. But Monday, Tarbell and Thomas went with Tarbell's newer plan to divide $3.8 million five ways - $800,000 to each of the big four institutions, with an extra pot of $600,000 for smaller arts institutions. Part of that extra pot would pay for parades and festivals too.

Cole and the others who support the Bortz plan say parades and festivals shouldn't count as "arts facilities," which is what the budget says the $4 million was intended for.

We'll see what happens Wednesday at City Council. Mayor Mark Mallory, to whom both options were referred, said he didn't plan to do anything with either. Some negotiating was going on, he said, and he hoped it would result in council coming up with their own compromise. Bortz and Tarbell weren't so sure about that. Both of them said they were unaware of any compromising.

But Cranley said Tuesday he didn't regret using the phrase, even though it became a bit of a stick to beat others with. He wasn't one of the six who signed the Bortz resolution, so he wasn't among those Cole could accuse of breaking his word. (On this point alone, that is. The Bortz supporters still think anyone who doesn't vote for the $4 million is breaking his or her word because they all voted for the budget, which contains the $4 million in it, albeit without explanation of where the money would go and where it would come from.)

"I said it," Cranley said. "And I'd say it again."Today, tomorrow, the day after tomorrow and forever."

One more Athlete Among Us

This probably comes as no surprise... But Rep. Jean Schmidt also took part in last weekend's Flying Pig festivities.

And unlike the three Hamilton County Commissioners, she actually ran the WHOLE marathon, although at the Half Marathon mark (13.1 miles) she was outpaced by Commissioner Pat DeWine, who finished the Half Marathon in one hour and 39 minutes. Schmidt reached that point at two hours and two minutes.

But while DeWine, and Commissioners David Pepper and Todd Portune were relaxing after their races, the Miami Township Republican was still running, and running, and running.

Schmidt finished the 26.2-mile race in four hours, eight minutes and 15 seconds.

Monday, May 07, 2007

Respect, budget promises and word-keeping

Monday's Cincinnati City Council finance committee turned into the nastiest City Hall fight in at least a couple of months.

Where to start? How about with what clearly became the Quote of the Day. It's something that came out of John Cranley's mouth back in January at another finance committee meeting, something he may very well regret saying after he heard it repeated back to him time and time again Monday: "We're going to keep our word today, tomorrow, the day after tomorrow and forever."

Well, Laketa Cole and the others supporting Chris Bortz's plan to divide the $4 million in arts capital funding four ways - $1 million each to the Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Cincinnati Art Museum, Music Hall and Cincinnati Museum Center - see Cranley's vote Monday as absolutely not keeping his promise "today, tomorrow, the day after tomorrow and forever." Leslie Ghiz and Jeff Berding didn't either. They reminded him too.

Again, if you're trying to memorize it just in case you see Cranley on the street soon, it's "today, tomorrow, the day after tomorrow and forever."

The Bortz backers say it's important to do what they said they would do late last year when council passed the budget 9-0. The budget set aside $4 million for "arts facilities" but did not say which ones, how much they should get or where the money should come from.

Cranley supported Vice Mayor Jim Tarbell's newer five-way plan. It would give the four institutions $800,000 each and creates a new fifth $600,000 fund to help smaller arts institutions like the Clifton, Madisonville and Kennedy Heights arts centers. Some of that money - not more than half of it, Tarbell said - also would pay for events like Riverfest and the Black Family Reunion. Since organizers of the St. Patrick's Day parade threatened to take their fun across the river to Covington rather than pay new fees, council has been trying to figure out how to help such events cover the costs incurred by the city to put them on.

Berding and Ghiz referred to the $600,000 as Tarbell's "slush fund." That's not fair, he says, or accurate, given that he wouldn't control the money anyway. Also, he leaves council after the November election, not giving him much time to even see what happens with the fund's money. (The others might leave council too, depending on voters' wishes, but Tarbell's the only one who leaves for sure, thanks to term limits)

Cranley jumped in at one point, telling his seven colleagues: "Let's do our best to keep it civil."

Ha.

Cecil Thomas, who signed Bortz's April motion to divide the money by four, linked the April 2001 riots to the fact, he said, that the city then had focused too much on "bricks and mortar" and not enough on people. Bortz's plan, he said, speaks only to bricks and mortar too.

Lots of questions came up, mostly from Cranley, about a promise of help from the Ralph and Carol Haile Foundation, which Bortz said offered $400,000 a year for two years. The Hailes were owners of Peoples Liberty Bank in Northern Kentucky, which was bought by First National Bank, the predecessor to U.S. Bank. Mr. Haile died last summer.

Bortz suggested their money go to smaller arts groups, while the larger ones still split the $4 million evenly. He seemed to imply that the foundation's help was contingent upon the city's contribution being the $1 million each, not the lesser $800,000 in the Tarbell Five-Way. The foundation wanted "an acknowledgement that the city took responsibility for its capital" buildings, Bortz said. The city owns three of the four, not the Freedom Center.

Cranley drilled Bortz on the Haile topic, pointing out that any such "gentleman's agreement" wasn't in writing and repeatedly asking about how the Haile foundation and Fine Arts Fund would work together to use the money.

After repeatedly trying to keep the debate focused not on the Haile help but on sticking to the December budget vote, Bortz finally fired back: "If you want any additional information from the Haile Foundation, I suggest you give them a call."

Bortz also pointed out that some smaller arts groups already are being funded with capital funds to be announced Thursday. Among them: the Clifton and Madisonville arts centers; Keep Cincinnati Beautiful; Queen City Concert Band; Ballet Tech Cincinnati; and the American Sign Museum.

The only guy not at the committee meeting was Chris Monzel, who was working in his full-time job at GE instead. He said later he thought the Tarbell Five-Way was intriguing and that he probably would prefer it as long as the Haile people would still help if the amount was reduced from $1 million to $800,000 (Bortz implied they wouldn't; Tarbell says they're still happy to) and as long as he can separate the freedom center allotment out. He wants to vote against giving it any money. He's OK with being the lone dissenter on that.

And as for the Tarbell plan to pay for some events, Monzel said, "I think that de-politicizes a big issue that's going to be coming up. It gets it off the table. We could really resolve a lot of issues with this."

OK, so that's pretty much what happened Monday afternoon in the nearly two hours of debate that sometimes seemed like it might last through "today, tomorrow, the day after tomorrow and forever."

Now, just some random statements you just have to see...

Tarbell:

"We are the arts and culture capital of this region," but Cincinnati doesn't spend the millions other cities, like Indy, do to promote that.Giving to the smaller groups is "the very least of what we should be about.""I stand by my word. I don't care what the original agreement was. Things change." Changing the terms is OK when you check with all parties involved first, he said. Ghiz jumped in, saying she was glad to hear he didn't care about changing his mind."This is the best result of any negotiation, any agreement that I've been a part of at City Hall."

Bortz:

Tarbell's plan is "ill-defined" and wasn't in the budget voted on in December. "I thought we had an agreement.""No wonder nobody wants to do business with the city. We change our minds at the 11th hour.""Gentlemen, we had an agreement. Let's do it."Giving the four major museums $800,000 instead of $1 million is like buying a car but only getting 80 percent of it."I'm asking you please to meet that ($1 million) commitment. As Ms. Cole put it, it doesn't say cultural activities. It doesn't say that. Therefore, you are renegotiating the budget. Let's not get into that."

Cranley:

"I believe if members of council make a deal with a private, non-profit," council has a right to know that.Council never agreed to the four-way split, "so to suggest that people are breaking their word...is not fair. And it's not accurate."It's ironic, he said, "that the members of the so-called Fiscal Five" were wanting to spend $200,000 more than Tarbell's plan.

Ghiz:

"I just have no sympathy for anybody when you behave the way you've been behaving."

Thomas:

He "readily" signed Bortz's motion in April, seemingly agreeing with the four-way divide. But after more thought, "maybe that wasn't in the best interest of the entire city.""I think the citizens of Cincinnati would appreciate it if we spread the money out even more."

Crowley:

Reminded everyone that all four still get more than they have in recent years."It's still arts facilities. It's a different spread."

Berding:

The debate didn't show "that when we have six signatures on something," it has meaning.As for past allegations that he and others didn't stick to their word, "what's good for the goose is good for the gander."He thinks council's gotten a lot of good work done in the past 18 months.

Cole:

"Citizens want nine members of council to keep their word...Keep your word. Keep your promise.""My concern is that we are going back and reorganizing or redebating a motion that all nine of us signed onto."She supports the idea of helping smaller arts groups, "but not to the tune of going back and changing the budget.""Let's keep our promise. Today, tomorrow and forever."

Athletes among us

There are pigs in politics. Flying pigs, that is. All three of the Hamilton County commissioners competed in the Flying Pig festivities this weekend.

Here's how they fared.

Pat DeWine ran the farthest of the three, completing the half marathon (13.1 miles) in 1 hour, 39 minutes and 55 seconds. That ranked him 266 place out of 5,555 runners. Not too shabby.

David Pepper ran the 10K race (6.2 miles) in 52 minutes and 51 seconds. He placed 202 out of the 1,139 runners. Pepper had considered running the half marathon, but said Monday he overexerted himself in the beginning "The 10K was the right decision," he said. "By the time I was done I was glad I had no more to do!"

Todd Portune walked the 5K(3.1 miles) in 1 hour, 21 minutes. It was the "slowest one I've ever done," he said, but he has a good reason. He has been paralyzed from the waist down for four years due to tumors on his spine. He used to use a wheelchair but has since graduated to a rolling walker. The Pig is the farthest he's walked at one time, he said. His family joined him in the effort.

County employees honored

Hamilton County commissioners have named the county’s 2007 Employees of the Year and County Hero.

Board President Todd Portune, congratulated and presented the six Employees of the Year and the County Hero with a proclamation. Each winner also received an award to commemorate the occasion. They will be honored and recognized again on Centennial Plaza at noon on Wednesday, May 9 as a part of the Public Service Recognition Week celebration.

The 2007 Employees of the Year are:Kevin Brewer, Section Chief, Family & Adult Assistance - Job & Family Services

Who gets to meet the Queen?

England's Queen Elizabeth II is in Washington this weekend, and tonight she and His Royal Highness, the Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, will be treated to a rare white-tie state dinner at the White House.

The guest list, released by the White House this afternoon, reads like a Who's Who of cultural, social and government elite, including Calvin Borel, the jockey who won this weekend's Kentucky Derby, Superbowl champ Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts, golfer ArnoldD. Palmer, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, and former First Lady Nancy Reagan.

So, who among our Greater Cincinnati folks is going?

The Honorable John A. Boehner, Minority Leader, United States Representative, and his wife, Mrs. Deborah Boehner. (Boehner is from West Chester, Ohio)

The Honorable Mitch McConnell, United States Senator, and The Honorable Elaine Chao, Secretary of Labor. (They're from Louisville)

The Honorable Tony Snow, Assistant to the President and Press Secretary, and his wife, Mrs. Jill Ellen Snow. (Snow is a Cincinnati native)

Who's NOT going?

Um, that would be Office of Budget and Management Director Rob Portman of Terrace Park.

"He wasn't invited," Portman spokeswoman Christin Baker said matter-of-factly, explaining that the event was a very limited guest list. Portman will instead be having dinner with his in-laws tonight, Baker said.